Driver assistance system with path clearance determination

ABSTRACT

A driver assistance system for a vehicle includes at least one camera disposed at the vehicle and having an exterior field of view at least in a direction of forward travel of the vehicle. A control includes an image processor operable to process image data captured by the camera. At least in part responsive to image processing of captured image data, the control determines a projected driving path of the vehicle and the width thereof. At least in part responsive to image processing of captured image data, the control detects an object that is ahead of the vehicle and determines the detected object&#39;s location in the camera&#39;s exterior field of view. Responsive to the determined width of the projected driving path and to the determined location of the detected object, the control is operable to determine if there is sufficient clearance for the vehicle to pass the detected object.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/774,317, filed Feb. 22, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,269,263,which claims the filing benefit of U.S. provisional application, Ser.No. 61/602,876, filed Feb. 24, 2012, which is hereby incorporated hereinby reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to imaging systems or vision systems forvehicles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Use of imaging sensors in vehicle imaging systems is common and known.Examples of such known systems are described in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,949,331; 5,670,935 and/or 5,550,677, which are hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an alert system for a vehicle thatutilizes one or more sensors, such as cameras or ultrasonic sensors orradar sensors or the like, to determine a clearance of the vehiclerelative to a structure or object that the vehicle is approaching, suchas a tunnel or tree branch or bridge or the like, and to provide awarning or alert to the driver of the vehicle if there is insufficientclearance for the vehicle to pass under the detected object. The alertsystem may include or be associated with a vehicle vision system thatutilizes one or more cameras to capture images exterior of the vehicle,and provides the communication/data signals, including camera data orimage data that may be displayed or processed to provide the desireddisplay images and/or processing and control, depending on theparticular application of the camera and vision or imaging system.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a vehicle alert systemincludes a sensor, such as a camera, with a field of view forward of thevehicle. The camera is disposed at a vehicle and has an exterior fieldof view in a direction of travel of the vehicle (such as a forwardfacing camera viewing in the forward direction of travel of thevehicle), and a control is responsive to the camera. The control isoperable, via image processing of image data captured by the camera, todetermine a height dimension of a structure in the path of travel of thevehicle. The control is operable, responsive to (i) the determinedheight dimension of a structure in the path of travel of the vehicle and(ii) a height dimension of the vehicle, to determine if there issufficient clearance between the structure and the vehicle for thevehicle to pass under the structure. Responsive to a determination thatthere is not sufficient clearance between the structure and the vehiclefor the vehicle to pass under the structure, the alert system isoperable to generate an alert to the driver of the vehicle.

Optionally, the control may be operable to determine a height dimensionof the vehicle via processing of image data captured by at least onecamera or imaging sensor of the vehicle. For example, the control may beoperable to determine a height dimension of the vehicle (with a load orobject disposed thereon) via processing of captured image data and basedat least in part on a known height of the vehicle when not loaded. Thecontrol may be operable to determine a height dimension of the vehiclevia processing of captured image data that is representative of a shadowand/or a reflected image of the vehicle and loaded object.

Optionally, the control may be operable to determine a height dimensionof a structure in the path of travel of the vehicle via (i) processingof data captured by the at least one camera and (ii) informationgenerated by a navigation system of the vehicle. Responsive to adetermination that there is not sufficient clearance between thestructure and the vehicle for the vehicle to pass under the structure,the alert system may be operable to generate a graphic overlay at adisplayed image to visually alert the driver of the vehicle of thedetermined insufficient clearance (or may otherwise alert the driver ofthe hazard, such as via an audible alert or a haptic alert or the like).

These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of thepresent invention will become apparent upon review of the followingspecification in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a vehicle with a vision system and imagingsensors or cameras that provide exterior fields of view in accordancewith the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of a vehicle (I) with a height (a) andcarrying baggage on the roof top with a height (b), which increases thetotal vehicle height (c), and showing a reflection of the vehicle in abuilding window pane (II) that may be captured by the vehicle's visioncameras for processing the height determination algorithm;

FIG. 3 shows a virtual driving path area which becomes infringed by alow hanging tree branch, showing an arrow overlayed to the scene orimage that highlights the hazard on the driver driver's head up displayor other display;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a virtual driving tunnel, where theenvironment in front of the driving path becomes consecutively capturedand a virtual pathing area, indicated in FIG. 4 as a square, becomesproduced by the clearance algorithm (which is accomplished via machinevision and is not presented to the driver);

FIG. 5 is another perspective view of the virtual driving tunnel of FIG.4, showing that once an infringement (3) of a driving path (1) isdetected, potential avoiding paths (2) become presumed (here just oneshown), with such detection and presumptions being accomplished viamachine vision, and not presented to the driver;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of a wide/high load truck as it isapproaching a bridge underpath (1), and when the measured width (4) orheight exceeds the detected clearance, the in-vehicle display (3)displays a warning massage (2), such as a picture or image or text oricon or the like, that may flash or otherwise be highlighted to thedriver;

FIG. 7 shows an image from the rear of a subject vehicle (10) with aheight (e) and having baggage (200) on the roof top of height (f), whichadds to the total height (g), with the baggage at about the same (focal)distance as the vehicle;

FIG. 8 shows the scene of FIG. 7, with the system providing virtualoverlays (r), such as a ruler with different elevation markings, whereinthe user may control (pick and place) the virtual compare overlayelevation markings (r) with the visible cursor for setting the vehicleelevation marking (e) and the total (vehicle plus baggage) elevationmarking (g) and its footage point marking;

FIG. 9 shows an image of the rear of a vehicle 10 pulling a trailer 20along a slight curve as captured by the vehicle's 10 side mirror camera,with the known heights of the pulling vehicle's rear tire 21 compared tothe trailer's 20 height (j); and

FIG. 10 shows an alternative height comparison to FIG. 9, showing thesame scene, but with the height (h) of the trailer's tire 22 known (butnot the distance I_(t) to the vehicle's rear tire 21), and wherein, bycomparing the tire's height (h) to the trailer's total height (j), thesystem is able to determine the trailer's height (j) at the tire's 22distance.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A driver assist system and/or vision system and/or object detectionsystem and/or alert system may operate to capture images or detectobjects exterior of the vehicle and process the captured data to detectobjects in front of the vehicle and in the predicted path of thevehicle, such as to alert the driver of the vehicle if there isinsufficient clearance above the vehicle to the detected object. Theobject detection may utilize detection and analysis of moving vectorsrepresentative of objects detected in the field of view of the vehiclecamera, in order to determine which detected objects are objects ofinterest to the driver of the vehicle.

Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depictedtherein, a vehicle 10 includes a sensing system or imaging system orvision system 12 that includes a forward facing sensor 13 (such as acamera or other object detecting sensor, such as a radar sensor orultrasonic sensor or the like). The sensing system 12 may also includeone or more other imaging sensors or cameras (such as a rearward facingimaging sensor or camera 14 a and/or a forwardly facing camera 14 b atthe front of the vehicle, and/or a sidewardly/rearwardly facing camera14 c, 14 b at the sides of the vehicle), which capture images exteriorof the vehicle, with the cameras having a lens for focusing images at oronto an imaging array or imaging plane of the camera (FIG. 1). Thesensing system 12 is operable to process image data captured by theforward facing sensor and may provide displayed images at a displaydevice 16 for viewing by the driver of the vehicle. The sensing systemprocesses captured data to detect objects, such as objects forward ofthe vehicle during forward driving or such as objects to the rear of thesubject or equipped vehicle during a reversing maneuver, and is operableto determine if there is clearance for the vehicle to continue on itstravel path without interference by the detected object (such as anoverhanging tree branch or a tunnel or a bridge or the like).

Driver assistance vision systems do not have cameras or sensors on theroof for measuring the height of the vehicle. Display modes showing thesubject or host vehicle from an outside top view do not show any load(such as a car top carrier or the like) on the rooftop of the vehicle;rather, they suggest having no load on the top of the vehicle since thesuperimposed car within the top view is typically just an (offlinegenerated) overlay. Navigation systems using historical map data may becapable of providing warnings for maximal pathing heights along aselected or programmed route of travel of the vehicle. However, suchsystems are operable to warn about only such critical spots that werestored in the map earlier. For example, a navigation system that isnavigating the vehicle towards a tunnel that has a known low or reducedheight or clearance (and that has such reduced height input as data inthe navigation system's map data), may be operable to provide an alertto the driver of the vehicle of the low height information. Such analert would be based solely on previously stored tunnel or bridge heightdata and would not be effected by the actual height dimension of thesubject vehicle.

Optical sensors, such as cameras, infrared cameras, laser scanners/LIDARsensors, LADAR sensors, RADAR short and long range sensors, ultrasoundsensors and the like, are known for driver assistance systems invehicles. Object detection and size estimation features are alsoprovided by driver assistance systems in vehicles. Also, virtual drivingpaths are known that provide a horizontal view, but not known combinedwith a vertical view.

Vehicles, especially passenger cars and trucks and the like, have aspecific height by nature (for that particular vehicle car line and trimand when unloaded and with the tires at a particular inflation). Addingpayload or baggage to the roof top of the vehicle increases the totalheight dimension of the vehicle above its typical or designed height.Thus, when so loaded, the clearance when the vehicle underpassesbridges, parking garage entries and the like may be exceeded. Thus, thevehicle driver has to estimate the vehicle clearance height, and keep inmind that the vehicle may have a high and/or wide load on top whendriving the vehicle passing low and/or narrow objects or structures. Ifthe driver forgets that a load is being carried on top of the vehicle,and drives under a low height or reduced height structure, the cartopload or carrier may impact the structure, causing damage to the load(such as luggage or bicycles or kayaks or the like) or to the structureitself.

The present invention provides a driver assistance and warning (andoptionally intervention) system that has the capability to detect theclearance of the (intended) driving path in front of the vehicle whenthe vehicle is driven forward and/or to the rear of the vehicle when thevehicle is driven backward. The intended path of the vehicle may beprojected or estimated by the current steering wheel steering angle, orthe vehicle's current direction, or the chosen or programmed path on anavigation system, or such as may be provided in real time by a remoteserver for path determination, such as by utilizing aspects of thesystems described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/660,306, filedOct. 25, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,146,898, which is hereby incorporatedherein in its entirety, and such a path may be influenced by otherdriver assistance systems or interventions, such as, for example, a lanechange assistance system or the like.

The maximum width and height of the driving path is detected byprocessing forward or rearward sensor data (captured by forward orrearward facing sensors). Such sensor data may be captured by anysuitable forward or rearward facing sensors, such as optical sensorssuch as image sensors or cameras, infrared cameras, laser scanners/LIDARsensors, LADAR sensors, RADAR short and long range sensors, ultrasoundsensors, and/or the like. The data processor may be operable to use onesensor, or a part of a sensor, or multiple ones of these sensors or allof these sensors by sensor fusion (where the data captured by thesensors is fused into a single data base for processing by theprocessor). Driver assistance systems are typically capable to process a3D-world reconstruction, such as by being able to detect the size,distance and speed of objects within the detection range in front of thesubject or host vehicle, with this information typically being used forcollision avoidance, and particularly for collision avoidance of othertraffic participants. Stereometric views may be added or provided, butsuch views are not typically necessary.

Object detection algorithms may use several optical effects, such as,for example, triangulation, which may compare the scene changes betweenconsecutively captured sensor (of every kind) images or frames (such asby utilizing aspects of the systems described in German Publication No.DE102010012662, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety, and such as by utilizing aspects of the systems described inPCT Application No. PCT/US2012/066570, filed Nov. 27, 2012 and publishedJun. 6, 2013 as International Publication No. WO 2013/081984, and/or PCTApplication No. PCT/US2012/066571, filed Nov. 27, 2012 and publishedJun. 6, 2013 as International Publication No. WO 2013/081985, which arehereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties), or whichmay compare two images taken at the same time with two different viewingangles (such as via a stereometric sensing system). Other methods mayuse focal distances, pulse reflection durations or Doppler effects todetermine changes in the captured data or frames or detect objectswithin their detection range.

The alert system of the present invention is operable to use objectdetection results to determine the gaps or gap dimensions (1D) or area(2D) between the detected objects to be the space the host vehicle hasfor passing. By subtracting the vehicle's width from the width orlateral dimension of the passing gap and similarly subtracting thevehicle's height from the passing gap's height dimension, the system candetermine whether there is sufficient clearance or if passing thedetected object or objects is critical or precluded. The passing areamay be processed as a virtual driving tunnel, adding an area segment tothe very front of the tunnel when a calculation cycle is done. Thetunnel would be limited by the detection range, resolution and datacomputing time of the system and its sensors. Some sensor's data areasegments may emerge early, but will become clearer and more reliable asthe vehicle approaches the virtual area segment.

For example, and as shown in FIG. 4, a virtual driving tunnel isestablished where the environment in front of the vehicle and along itsdriving path becomes consecutively captured, and a virtual pathing area,shown as a square in FIG. 4, is generated by the clearance algorithm(which is accomplished via machine vision and is not presented to thedriver). As shown in FIG. 5, when an infringement (3) of the drivingpath (1) is detected (such as a low structure or object or the like),potential avoiding paths (2) are generated, with such detection andpresumptions being accomplished via machine vision or data processing.Alternative driving tunnels may be composed (such as a precalculatedlook up table or during the run time or data capturing) assumingnecessary driving interactions. Such a method is commonly referred to as“influence mapping”, and is described in the systems described in U.S.provisional application Ser. No. 61/696,416, filed Sep. 4, 2012, whichis hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Thealgorithm may calculate the latest warning time and the latest(automated) intervention moment.

When the system detects a critical passing clearance or too narrow anapproach to an object on one side, the system may be operable to: (1 a)signal to the driver by a warning sound, (1 b) signal to the driver by ahaptic imprint such as vibrating of the steering wheel or foot pedal, (2a) signal to the driver by highlighting, such as by activating a warningsign or icon or emblem at a video mirror display or other in-cabindisplay or head up display device or the like, (2 b) signal to thedriver by putting an overlay onto the scene ahead (such as within aheads up display or video mirror display or the like), with the overlayoptionally comprising a color, such as a red (or other) color, or aflashing or blinking overlay, or the like, which functions to attractthe driver's attention, (3) control the vehicle steering (such asconsecutive to one or more of the above options) to provide a steeringintervention to bypass the critical object, and/or (4) control thevehicle braking to slow or stop the vehicle before reaching the detectedtoo narrow spot.

The alert system of the present invention is operable to check theclearance height against the height of the subject vehicle and anyadditional baggage carried atop the vehicle, or the height of a truckwith any additional payload that may protrude above the height of thetruck when unloaded, and/or may check the passage width relative to thewidth of the subject vehicle as well.

The total vehicle height may be entered by the user via a user interfaceof the vehicle's driver assistance system or via a remote device withHMI. For example, the vehicle's general height without additionalstructures on top would be the default value (and optionally anddesirably adjusted or corrected by small amounts when changing tires andthe like, which may affect the actual height of the vehicle).Optionally, the vehicle's height may be estimated or roughly measured bycalculating the baggage's height by processing captured images inreflections of the subject vehicle with the baggage on top in windowfronts, such as via processing captured data (such as captured imagedata) as captured by front, side and/or rear sensors, preferably avehicle vision system's cameras or the like. Such estimation ormeasurement may be accomplished via triangulation or by comparing theratio of the (known) vehicle's own height to the (unknown) baggage'sheight and estimating the baggage height and overall height based onsuch a ratio (such as by utilizing aspects of the systems described inEuropean Publication No. EP 0 00002416115, which is hereby incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety).

For example, and with reference to FIG. 2, the vehicle 10 may have aload 200 carried thereon, and the system may be operable to detect areflected image 220 of the loaded vehicle and process the captured imagedata. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the system may determine a ratio betweenthe height of the vehicle (a) in the reflected image and the height ofthe load (b) in the reflected image. Because the actual height of thevehicle is roughly known (based on manufacturer's data or the like), thesystem thus may calculate the height of the load and the overall heightof the loaded vehicle by processing captured image data that isrepresentative of a reflection of the loaded vehicle. For example, thesystem may utilize a known or stored value of the vehicle's height(which may be stored in a memory device or digital storage device at thevehicle) to determine the overall height of the loaded vehicle via aratio determination or calculation or the like. The system may also beoperable to take into account any degree of distortion that may be inthe reflected image, such as by comparing a ratio of known tire heightto known vehicle height to a ratio of the reflected tire to reflectivevehicle, in order to determine any vertical distortion that may occur inthe reflected image (such as via the wall or glass at which thereflection is captured being at an angle relative to the road orvehicle), and then adjusting the overall height calculation accordingly.

Optionally, an alert or graphic overlay may be generated when the systemdetects a height of a structure or object that is potentiallyinsufficient for safe passage underneath by the vehicle. For example,and with reference to FIG. 3, the system may detect when a virtualdriving path area becomes infringed by a low hanging tree branch, andmay provide an arrow or other icon or image or visual alert that isoverlayed on the scene or image (such as via a heads up display of thevehicle so that the overlay is generally at or near the detected lowhanging object or low structure) to highlight the hazard for viewing bythe driver of the vehicle. Optionally, and with reference to FIG. 6, thesystem may detect when a tunnel or structure ahead of the vehicle (orotherwise in the path of travel of the vehicle) is too narrow and/or lowfor safe passage of the vehicle (as the vehicle may be presentlyloaded). As shown in FIG. 6, when a loaded truck or vehicle approaches abridge underpass (1), and when the measured width (4) exceeds thedetected clearance, the in-vehicle display (3) may display a warningmassage (2), such as a picture or image or text or icon or the like,that may flash or otherwise be highlighted to the driver. In theillustrated embodiment, the display may highlight the portions of thetunnel or structure that the system determines may be impacted by thevehicle or its load, so that the driver of the vehicle is readilyalerted to the hazardous condition before the vehicle arrives at thestructure.

Optionally, the system may, and such as shown in FIG. 5, generatepotential avoiding paths (and may display such path or paths for viewingby the driver of the vehicle) to guide or direct the driver of thevehicle along a determined safe path through the tunnel that will avoidimpacting the tunnel with the wide or tall load. Optionally, the systemmay determine such a safe path through the tunnel or low structure, andmay control the steering of the vehicle as the vehicle passes throughthe low structure or tunnel to navigate the vehicle through thestructure or tunnel, in order to make sure the wide or tall load doesnot impact the structure or tunnel. In situations where the systemdetermines that there is no safe path available through or below thetunnel or structure, the system may apply the vehicle's brakes to stopthe vehicle before the vehicle enters the tunnel or passes through orbelow the structure.

Optionally, the captured images for height determination may be composedwithin a long term image filtering. For example, superimposing imageswithin minutes which show at least parts of the vehicle's silhouette,such as may be captured by conventional image recognition algorithm.Optionally, such height determination may be composed via triangulationor by comparing the ratio of the (known) vehicle's own height to the(unknown) baggage's height, such as discussed above.

Optionally, the system may alternatively or additionally calculate thewidth and height clearance of a trailer that is attached at or hookedonto the vehicle. The trailer's own width and height (dimensions) may beentered by the driver via any HMI, or may be read out of a memorystorage device (such as discussed in the systems described in U.S.provisional application Ser. No. U.S. 61/736,104, filed Dec. 12, 2012,which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, or maybe determined by a 3D world reconstruction and object detectionalgorithm of the subject vehicle's vision system analyzing the trailer(as an object subject for detection), or may be determined by a 2Dheight/width comparison (no full 3D world reconstruction required) ofthe subject trailer's height/width to objects having a known heightvisible in the same scene as like a ruler, yard stick or such or objectshaving a known height in ratio to the horizon such as like the sun'selevation at a certain place and time. From U.S. provisional applicationSer. No. 61/736,104, incorporated above, just the trailer lengthdetermination/estimation can be achieved by trigonometric size comparingof image features distances to the trailer length, visible in the image.In there, the pulling vehicle is used as a known dimension imagefeature. It is suggested herein to use image features of the pullingvehicle for height comparison of image features of the trailer's heightsuch as shown in FIG. 9. In there the known heights of the pullingvehicle's rear tire is compared to the trailer tire's height whichappears smaller in distance. The rear tire is usually well detectable(during driving along curves) for being used as a detection feature ofthe trailer's image features. Since the distance I_(t) is known and thedistance of the (side mirror-) camera to the vehicle rear tire is known,the heights of the upper end at the distance of I_(t) can be calculated.In the example of FIG. 9, the height of the trailer (j) is 355 percentof the reference height (k) (100 percent) of the vehicle's rear tire 21.The height (h) of the trailer is redundant in this example.

FIG. 10 shows an alternative example. The height (h) of the trailer'stire 22 may be known (but not the distance I_(t) to the vehicle's reartire 21). By comparing the tire's height (h) to the trailer's totalheight (j), the system is able to determine the trailer's height (j) atthe tire's 22 distance. In the example of FIG. 10, the trailer's heightis three and two third times the height of the tire 22 which equates to:

3.66*0.620 m=2.273 m.

The image features of the vehicle are irrelevant for that approach.

Once the height of the trailer is determined, it may be stored in theabove mentioned memory storage device. As already suggested in U.S.provisional application Ser. No. 61/736,104, incorporated above, thedetermined width of the trailer may be reflected in overlays for driverassisting functions (as like maneuvering path planning) when the vehicleis being driven with a hooked on trailer. Optionally, the system mayalso reflect the height when providing overlays and drive assistingfunctions when driving with the hooked on trailer.

Optionally, the system may use images of the subject vehicle that arecaptured by sensors of one or more other vehicles (which becometransferred by car to car communication or car to peripherycommunication or the like), preferably other vehicle driving on the roadbehind the subject vehicle such as shown in FIG. 7, showing an image ofthe subject vehicle (10) from the rear of the vehicle, with the vehiclehaving height (e) and the baggage (200) on the roof top having height(f), which adds to the common (total) height (g). When the 3D world isknown, the total height (g) of the vehicle is given directly. At thetime no 3D world reconstruction is possible due to limited hardware andsoftware features, the total height may be calculated by 2D height/widthcomparison (no full 3D world reconstruction required) of the (known)subject vehicle's height/width (e) with the baggage's unknown height (f)automatically. This works when the object detection software is capableof discriminating the vehicle from its environment and the baggage ontop of the vehicle from the vehicle itself (and the baggage'senvironment).

Optionally, the height may be calculated by the other vehicle'sprocessor or algorithm, whereby the other vehicle may communicate ortransfer the height data instead of images to the subject vehicle.

When the image processing software is incapable to discriminate thevehicle from its environment and the baggage on top of the vehicle fromthe vehicle (and the baggage's environment), the system is incapable toplace sufficient size compare measures automatically for calculating theassemblage's (vehicle and baggage thereon) total height. Optionally, inthat case, the system may provide virtual overlays as like a ruler withdifferent elevation markings (r), such as shown in FIG. 8. The user maybe able to control (pick and place) the virtual compare overlayelevation markings (r) within the image for distinguishing the vehicle'selevation (e) from the total (vehicle plus baggage) elevation (g).

Optionally, the system may use images of the subject vehicle that arecaptured by remote sensors, such as immobile installed cameras orsensors on buildings and facilities (which may be communicated ortransferred by x2car communication (such as car-2-car communications) orperiphery to car communication or the like), such as parking lot camerasor cameras on truck load/unload ramps and/or the like. Optionally, theheight may be calculated by the remote facility's processor oralgorithm, whereby the remote facility may communicate or transfer theheight data instead of images to the subject vehicle.

Optionally, the system may use images of the subject vehicle that arecaptured by other remote sensors or cameras, such as by a handhelddevice with a camera (which may be transferred by x2car communication orperiphery to car communication or by wireless communication or by nearfield communication or optical communication or by plugging in atransfer cable (supporting a communication bus/protocol/interface suchas USB, Firewire, HDMI or the like) or the like), conventional digitalhandheld cameras, smart phone cameras or PDA cameras. Optionally, theheight may be calculated by the handheld device processor or algorithm,whereby the handheld device may communicate or transfer the height datainstead of images to the subject vehicle. Optionally, the program or appmay be provided by the handheld device, or by the vehicle or visionsystem manufacturer or vendors or by aftermarket distributers. Theactual program or app may be capable for being downloaded, updated,rented or the like. Optionally, the height may be calculated bycapturing two or more images from two or more different viewpoints forrunning a 3D world reconstruction from the captured images.

In situations where the system is not done with detecting thevehicle-plus-baggage total height or is still waiting for other vehicleincoming image data, the status of the ‘clearance warning’ system may beindicated to the driver by any display means (such as a console displayor a head up display or a mirror display or the like) as ‘inactive.’ Assoon the subject vehicle's total height is present or determined, theclearance warning system's status may be indicated as ‘active.’

Optionally, there may be peripheral facilities present that are alsocapable to receive and store the measured driving path height, which maybe used by street maintenance services when sudden height decreasebecomes reported on public road ways by clearance height detectingvehicles.

Thus, the present invention provides an alert system that is operable todetermine both the vehicle height and vehicle width, with the systembeing operable to learn or determine the current height of the vehicle(such as the overall height of the vehicle as it is then loaded). Thesystem may make such a size or height determination by using reflectedimages of the vehicle as reflected in a window or the like adjacent toor near the vehicle. The alert system may provide an alert or a passiveand/or active driver assistance function based on the passing clearancefor the vehicle relative to an overhead structure or object. The systemmay take additional loading height into account when the loaded vehicleis reflected in determining the height and width clearance at a narrowor low clearance structure or location, and may make such determinationswhile the vehicle is being driven towards the structure or location.

The control is operable to determine the height of a structure in thepath of travel of the vehicle and to compare the determined structureheight with the determined vehicle height (loaded or unloaded). Thestructure may comprise a tunnel or bridge or tree branch or the like atthe road ahead of the vehicle, or the structure may comprise an entranceto a parking structure, and/or may comprise a hanging height indicatoror bar that indicates the lowest height or clearance in the parkingstructure. Optionally, the control may determine the height of astructure in the path of travel of the vehicle by utilizing traffic signrecognition or character recognition algorithms to determine the heightindicated via numbers on a clearance sign or the like that is located ator near or ahead of the structure. For example, the control may “read”such a clearance sign and utilize that numerical height dimension as thedetermined height, and may use such a height dimension in conjunctionwith image processing of image data representative of the structureitself to generate an appropriate size and shape of the tunnel orstructure for use in determining a safe clearance path around or underor through the structure. Optionally, the control or system may beoperable to detect railroad crossing signs or signals and may beoperable to determine if a railroad crossing barrier is lowered ahead ofthe vehicle and/or if the lights at a railroad crossing are activated,whereby an alert may be generated to the driver of the vehicle that atrain may be approaching a railroad crossing ahead of the vehicle.

Optionally, the camera of the vehicle may comprise a forward facingcamera disposed at or behind the windshield of the vehicle (and viewingforward and through the windshield) or disposed at a front or forwardportion of the vehicle, such as at the vehicle grill or front bumper orthe like, or disposed at a side portion or elsewhere at the vehicle.Optionally, the camera may be part of a multi-camera system of thevehicle, such as part of a surround view or top-down view system of thevehicle (such as discussed below). Optionally, the camera may be part ofa forward facing imaging (FFI) system of the vehicle that is operable toprovide headlamp detection (where the system may detect headlamps in thefield of view of the camera and may adjust or control the headlamps ofthe equipped vehicle responsive to such detection), lane tracking (wherethe system may detect lane markers present in the field of view of thecamera to determine lane departure or lane change by the equippedvehicle), traffic sign detection and/or recognition (where the systemmay detect signs present in the field of view of the camera), vehicledetection and pedestrian detection (where the system may detect vehiclesand/or pedestrians and/or the like present in the field of view of thecamera and ahead of the vehicle and in the path of travel of thevehicle) and/or the like. Such an FFI system may include a common orsingle image processor that processes image data captured by the camera(and optionally also by other cameras of the vehicle) for such multiplefunctions or features.

Therefore, the present invention provides a vehicle alert system that isoperable to determine or estimate an actual height of the subjectvehicle (as the vehicle may be loaded) and to determine or estimate aclearance height of a structure or object in the path of travel of thevehicle, and, responsive to such determinations or estimations, thesystem may determine whether the vehicle is low enough to pass throughor under the detected structure or object. The system thus providesenhanced driving assistance to the driver of the vehicle, particularlywhen the vehicle may have a load on its roof or top that the driver mayhave forgotten about. When an insufficient clearance situation isdetected, the system may alert the driver to the potential hazard, suchas by providing a visual alert, an audible alert or a haptic alert orthe like. The system may utilize any suitable sensing device or devices,such as a camera or imaging sensor that is forward or rearward facing soas to capture images forward of the vehicle when the vehicle istraveling in a forward direction and/or capture images rearward of thevehicle when the vehicle is traveling in a rearward direction.

The camera or cameras may include or may be associated with an imageprocessor operable to process image data captured by the camera orcameras, such as for detecting objects or other vehicles or pedestriansor the like in the field of view of one or more of the cameras. Forexample, the image processor may comprise an EyeQ2 or EyeQ3 imageprocessing chip available from Mobileye Vision Technologies Ltd. ofJerusalem, Israel, and may include object detection software (such asthe types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,855,755; 7,720,580 and/or7,038,577, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties), and may analyze image data to detect vehicles and/or otherobjects. Responsive to such image processing, and when an object orother vehicle is detected, the system may generate an alert to thedriver of the vehicle and/or may generate an overlay at the displayedimage to highlight or enhance display of the detected object or vehicle,in order to enhance the driver's awareness of the detected object orvehicle or hazardous condition during a driving maneuver of the equippedvehicle.

The camera or imager or imaging sensor may comprise any suitable cameraor imager or sensor. Optionally, the camera may comprise a “smartcamera” that includes the imaging sensor array and associated circuitryand image processing circuitry and electrical connectors and the like aspart of a camera module, such as by utilizing aspects of the visionsystems described in PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/066571, filed Nov.27, 2012 and published Jun. 6, 2013 as International Publication No. WO2013/081985, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

The vehicle may include any type of sensor or sensors, such as imagingsensors or radar sensors or lidar sensors or ultrasonic sensors or thelike. The imaging sensor or camera may capture image data for imageprocessing and may comprise any suitable camera or sensing device, suchas, for example, an array of a plurality of photosensor elementsarranged in at least about 640 columns and 480 rows (at least about a640×480 imaging array), with a respective lens focusing images ontorespective portions of the array. The photosensor array may comprise aplurality of photosensor elements arranged in a photosensor array havingrows and columns. The logic and control circuit of the imaging sensormay function in any known manner, and the image processing andalgorithmic processing may comprise any suitable means for processingthe images and/or image data. For example, the vision system and/orprocessing and/or camera and/or circuitry may utilize aspects describedin U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,005,974; 5,760,962; 5,877,897; 5,796,094; 5,949,331;6,222,447; 6,302,545; 6,396,397; 6,498,620; 6,523,964; 6,611,202;6,201,642; 6,690,268; 6,717,610; 6,757,109; 6,802,617; 6,806,452;6,822,563; 6,891,563; 6,946,978; 7,859,565; 5,550,677; 5,670,935;6,636,258; 7,145,519; 7,161,616; 7,230,640; 7,248,283; 7,295,229;7,301,466; 7,592,928; 7,881,496; 7,720,580; 7,038,577; 6,882,287;5,929,786 and/or 5,786,772, PCT Application No. PCT/US2010/047256, filedAug. 31, 2010 and published Mar. 10, 2011 as International PublicationNo. WO 2011/028686 and/or International Publication No. WO 2010/099416,published Sep. 2, 2010, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US10/25545, filedFeb. 26, 2010 and published Sep. 2, 2010 as International PublicationNo. WO 2010/099416, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/048800, filedJul. 30, 2012 and published Feb. 7, 2013 as International PublicationNo. WO 2013/019707, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/048110, filedJul. 25, 2012 and published Jan. 31, 2013 as International PublicationNo. WO 2013/016409, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/CA2012/000378, filedApr. 25, 2012 and published Nov. 1, 2012 as International PublicationNo. WO 2012/145822, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/056014, filedSep. 19, 2012 and published Mar. 28, 2013 as International PublicationNo. WO 2013/043661, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US12/57007, filedSep. 25, 2012 and published Apr. 4, 2013 as International PublicationNo. WO 2013/048994, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/061548, filedOct. 24, 2012 and published May 2, 2013 as International Publication No.WO 2013/063014, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/062906, filed Nov.1, 2012 and published May 10, 2013 as International Publication No. WO2013/067083, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/063520, filed Nov. 5,2012 and published May 16, 2013 as International Publication No. WO2013/070539, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/064980, filed Nov.14, 2012 and published May 23, 2013 as International Publication No. WO2013/074604, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/066570, filed Nov.27, 2012 and published Jun. 6, 2013 as International Publication No. WO2013/081984, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/066571, filed Nov.27, 2012 and published Jun. 6, 2013 as International Publication No. WO2013/081985, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/068331, filed Dec. 7,2012 and published Jun. 13, 2013 as International Publication No. WO2013/086249, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/071219, filed Dec.21, 2012 and published Jul. 11, 2013 as International Publication No. WO2013/103548, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2013/022119, filed Jan.18, 2013 and published Jul. 25, 2013 as International Publication No. WO2013/109869, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2013/026101, filed Feb.14, 2013 and published Aug. 22, 2013 as International Publication No. WO2013/123161, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/681,963, filedNov. 20, 2012 and published Jun. 6, 2013 as U.S. Publication No.2013/0141578; Ser. No. 13/660,306, filed Oct. 25, 2012, now U.S. Pat.No. 9,146,898; Ser. No. 13/653,577, filed Oct. 17, 2012, now U.S. Pat.No. 9,174,574; and/or Ser. No. 13/534,657, filed Jun. 27, 2012 andpublished Jan. 3, 2013 as U.S. Publication No. 2013/0002873, and/or U.S.provisional applications, Ser. No. 61/766,883, filed Feb. 20, 2013; Ser.No. 61/760,368, filed Feb. 4, 2013; Ser. No. 61/760,364, filed Feb. 4,2013; Ser. No. 61/758,537, filed Jan. 30, 2013; Ser. No. 61/754,8004,filed Jan. 21, 2013; Ser. No. 61/745,925, filed Dec. 26, 2012; Ser. No.61/745,864, filed Dec. 26, 2012; Ser. No. 61/736,104, filed Dec. 12,2012; Ser. No. 61/736,103, filed Dec. 12, 2012; Ser. No. 61/735,314,filed Dec. 10, 2012; Ser. No. 61/734,457, filed Dec. 7, 2012; Ser. No.61/733,598, filed Dec. 5, 2012; Ser. No. 61/733,093, filed Dec. 4, 2012;Ser. No. 61/727,912, filed Nov. 19, 2012; Ser. No. 61/727,911, filedNov. 19, 2012; Ser. No. 61/727,910, filed Nov. 19, 2012; Ser. No.61/718,382, filed Oct. 25, 2012; Ser. No. 61/710,924, filed Oct. 8,2012; Ser. No. 61/696,416, filed Sep. 4, 2012; Ser. No. 61/682,995,filed Aug. 14, 2012; Ser. No. 61/682,486, filed Aug. 13, 2012; Ser. No.61/680,883, filed Aug. 8, 2012; Ser. No. 61/676,405, filed Jul. 27,2012; Ser. No. 61/666,146, filed Jun. 29, 2012; Ser. No. 61/648,744,filed May 18, 2012; Ser. No. 61/624,507, filed Apr. 16, 2012; Ser. No.61/616,126, filed Mar. 27, 2012; Ser. No. 61/615,410, filed Mar. 26,2012; Ser. No. 61/613,651, filed Mar. 21, 2012; Ser. No. 61/607,229,filed Mar. 6, 2012; Ser. No. 61/601,651, filed Feb. 22, 2012; and/orSer. No. 61/601,669, filed Feb. 22, 2012, which are all herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The system maycommunicate with other communication systems via any suitable means,such as by utilizing aspects of the systems described in PCT ApplicationNo. PCT/US10/038477, filed Jun. 14, 2010, and/or U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/202,005, filed Aug. 17, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,126,525,which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The imaging device and control and image processor and any associatedillumination source, if applicable, may comprise any suitablecomponents, and may utilize aspects of the cameras and vision systemsdescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,877,897; 6,498,620; 5,670,935;5,796,094; 6,396,397; 6,806,452; 6,690,268; 7,005,974; 7,123,168;7,004,606; 6,946,978; 7,038,577; 6,353,392; 6,320,176; 6,313,454 and6,824,281, and/or International Publication No. WO 2010/099416,published Sep. 2, 2010, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US10/47256, filedAug. 31, 2010 and published Mar. 10, 2011 as International PublicationNo. WO 2011/028686, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/508,840,filed Jul. 24, 2009, and published Jan. 28, 2010 as U.S. Pat.Publication No. US 2010-0020170, and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US2012/048110, filed Jul. 25, 2012 and published Jan. 31, 2013 asInternational Publication No. WO 2013/016409, and/or U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/534,657, filed Jun. 27, 2012 and published Jan.3, 2013 as U.S. Publication No. 2013/0002873, which are all herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The camera orcameras may comprise any suitable cameras or imaging sensors or cameramodules, and may utilize aspects of the cameras or sensors described inU.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/091,359, filed Apr. 24, 2008 andpublished Oct. 1, 2009 as U.S. Publication No. US-2009-0244361, and/orSer. No. 13/260,400, filed Sep. 26, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,542,451,and/or U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,965,336 and/or 7,480,149, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The imaging arraysensor may comprise any suitable sensor, and may utilize various imagingsensors or imaging array sensors or cameras or the like, such as a CMOSimaging array sensor, a CCD sensor or other sensors or the like, such asthe types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,670,935; 5,760,962;5,715,093; 5,877,897; 6,922,292; 6,757,109; 6,717,610; 6,590,719;6,201,642; 6,498,620; 5,796,094; 6,097,023; 6,320,176; 6,559,435;6,831,261; 6,806,452; 6,396,397; 6,822,563; 6,946,978; 7,339,149;7,038,577; 7,004,606 and/or 7,720,580, and/or U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 10/534,632, filed May 11, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,965,336;and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2008/076022, filed Sep. 11, 2008 andpublished Mar. 19, 2009 as International Publication No. WO/2009/036176,and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2008/078700, filed Oct. 3, 2008 andpublished Apr. 9, 2009 as International Publication No. WO/2009/046268,which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties.

The camera module and circuit chip or board and imaging sensor may beimplemented and operated in connection with various vehicularvision-based systems, and/or may be operable utilizing the principles ofsuch other vehicular systems, such as a vehicle headlamp control system,such as the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,796,094; 6,097,023;6,320,176; 6,559,435; 6,831,261; 7,004,606; 7,339,149 and/or 7,526,103,which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties, a rain sensor, such as the types disclosed in commonlyassigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,353,392; 6,313,454; 6,320,176 and/or7,480,149, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties, a vehicle vision system, such as a forwardly, sidewardly orrearwardly directed vehicle vision system utilizing principles disclosedin U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,670,935; 5,760,962; 5,877,897; 5,949,331;6,222,447; 6,302,545; 6,396,397; 6,498,620; 6,523,964; 6,611,202;6,201,642; 6,690,268; 6,717,610; 6,757,109; 6,802,617; 6,806,452;6,822,563; 6,891,563; 6,946,978 and/or 7,859,565, which are all herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties, a trailer hitchingaid or tow check system, such as the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.7,005,974, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety, a reverse or sideward imaging system, such as for a lanechange assistance system or lane departure warning system or for a blindspot or object detection system, such as imaging or detection systems ofthe types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,720,580; 7,038,577; 5,929,786and/or 5,786,772, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/239,980,filed Sep. 30, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,881,496, and/or U.S.provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/628,709, filed Nov. 17, 2004; Ser.No. 60/614,644, filed Sep. 30, 2004; Ser. No. 60/618,686, filed Oct. 14,2004; Ser. No. 60/638,687, filed Dec. 23, 2004, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties, a video device forinternal cabin surveillance and/or video telephone function, such asdisclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,760,962; 5,877,897; 6,690,268 and/or7,370,983, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/538,724, filedJun. 13, 2005 and published Mar. 9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No.US-2006-0050018, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties, a traffic sign recognition system, a system fordetermining a distance to a leading or trailing vehicle or object, suchas a system utilizing the principles disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.6,396,397 and/or 7,123,168, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties, and/or the like.

Optionally, the circuit board or chip may include circuitry for theimaging array sensor and or other electronic accessories or features,such as by utilizing compass-on-a-chip or EC driver-on-a-chip technologyand aspects such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,255,451 and/or U.S.Pat. No. 7,480,149; and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/226,628,filed Sep. 14, 2005 and published Mar. 23, 2006 as U.S. Publication No.US-2006-0061008, and/or Ser. No. 12/578,732, filed Oct. 14, 2009 andpublished Apr. 22, 2010 as U.S. Publication No. 2010/0097469, which arehereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, the vision system may include a display for displayingimages captured by one or more of the imaging sensors for viewing by thedriver of the vehicle while the driver is normally operating thevehicle. Optionally, for example, the vision system may include a videodisplay device disposed at or in the interior rearview mirror assemblyof the vehicle, such as by utilizing aspects of the video mirror displaysystems described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,690,268 and/or U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/333,337, filed Dec. 21, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No.9,264,672, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties. The video mirror display may comprise any suitable devicesand systems and optionally may utilize aspects of the compass displaysystems described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,370,983; 7,329,013; 7,308,341;7,289,037; 7,249,860; 7,004,593; 4,546,551; 5,699,044; 4,953,305;5,576,687; 5,632,092; 5,677,851; 5,708,410; 5,737,226; 5,802,727;5,878,370; 6,087,953; 6,173,508; 6,222,460; 6,513,252 and/or 6,642,851,and/or European patent application, published Oct. 11, 2000 underPublication No. EP 0 1043566, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/226,628, filed Sep. 14, 2005 and published Mar. 23, 2006 as U.S.Publication No. US-2006-0061008, which are all hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties. Optionally, the video mirrordisplay screen or device may be operable to display images captured by arearward viewing camera of the vehicle during a reversing maneuver ofthe vehicle (such as responsive to the vehicle gear actuator beingplaced in a reverse gear position or the like) to assist the driver inbacking up the vehicle, and optionally may be operable to display thecompass heading or directional heading character or icon when thevehicle is not undertaking a reversing maneuver, such as when thevehicle is being driven in a forward direction along a road (such as byutilizing aspects of the display system described in PCT Application No.PCT/US2011/056295, filed Oct. 14, 2011 and published Apr. 19, 2012 asInternational Publication No. WO 2012/051500, which is herebyincorporated herein by reference in its entirety).

Optionally, the vision system (utilizing the forward facing camera and arearward facing camera and other cameras disposed at the vehicle withexterior fields of view) may be part of or may provide a display of atop-down view or birds-eye view system of the vehicle or a surround viewat the vehicle, such as by utilizing aspects of the vision systemsdescribed in PCT Application No. PCT/US10/25545, filed Feb. 26, 2010 andpublished on Sep. 2, 2010 as International Publication No. WO2010/099416, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US10/47256, filed Aug. 31,2010 and published Mar. 10, 2011 as International Publication No. WO2011/028686, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2011/062834, filed Dec. 1,2011 and published Jun. 7, 2012 as International Publication No.WO2012/075250, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/048993, filed Jul.31, 2012 and published Feb. 7, 2013 as International Publication No. WO2013/019795, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US11/62755, filed Dec. 1,2011 and published Jun. 7, 2012 as International Publication No. WO2012-075250, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/CA2012/000378, filed Apr.25, 2012 and published Nov. 1, 2012 as International Publication No. WO2012/145822, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/066571, filed Nov.27, 2012 and published Jun. 6, 2013 as International Publication No. WO2013/081985, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/333,337, filedDec. 21, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,264,672, and/or U.S. provisionalapplications, Ser. No. 61/615,410, filed Mar. 26, 2012, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, a video mirror display may be disposed rearward of andbehind the reflective element assembly and may comprise a display suchas the types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,530,240; 6,329,925;7,855,755; 7,626,749; 7,581,859; 7,446,650; 7,370,983; 7,338,177;7,274,501; 7,255,451; 7,195,381; 7,184,190; 5,668,663; 5,724,187 and/or6,690,268, and/or in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/091,525, filedApr. 25, 2008, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,855,755; Ser. No. 11/226,628, filedSep. 14, 2005 and published Mar. 23, 2006 as U.S. Publication No.US-2006-0061008; and/or Ser. No. 10/538,724, filed Jun. 13, 2005 andpublished Mar. 9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0050018, whichare all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Thedisplay is viewable through the reflective element when the display isactivated to display information. The display element may be any type ofdisplay element, such as a vacuum fluorescent (VF) display element, alight emitting diode (LED) display element, such as an organic lightemitting diode (OLED) or an inorganic light emitting diode, anelectroluminescent (EL) display element, a liquid crystal display (LCD)element, a video screen display element or backlit thin film transistor(TFT) display element or the like, and may be operable to displayvarious information (as discrete characters, icons or the like, or in amulti-pixel manner) to the driver of the vehicle, such as passenger sideinflatable restraint (PSIR) information, tire pressure status, and/orthe like. The mirror assembly and/or display may utilize aspectsdescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,184,190; 7,255,451; 7,446,924 and/or7,338,177, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties. The thicknesses and materials of the coatings on thesubstrates of the reflective element may be selected to provide adesired color or tint to the mirror reflective element, such as a bluecolored reflector, such as is known in the art and such as described inU.S. Pat. Nos. 5,910,854; 6,420,036 and/or 7,274,501, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, the display or displays and any associated user inputs maybe associated with various accessories or systems, such as, for example,a tire pressure monitoring system or a passenger air bag status or agarage door opening system or a telematics system or any other accessoryor system of the mirror assembly or of the vehicle or of an accessorymodule or console of the vehicle, such as an accessory module or consoleof the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,289,037; 6,877,888;6,824,281; 6,690,268; 6,672,744; 6,386,742 and 6,124,886, and/or U.S.patent application Ser. No. 10/538,724, filed Jun. 13, 2005 andpublished Mar. 9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0050018, whichare hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Changes and modifications to the specifically described embodiments maybe carried out without departing from the principles of the presentinvention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of theappended claims as interpreted according to the principles of patentlaw.

1. A driver assistance system for a vehicle, said driver assistancesystem comprising: at least one camera disposed at a vehicle and havingan exterior field of view at least in a direction of forward travel ofthe vehicle, wherein said at least one camera is operable to captureimage data; a control comprising an image processor operable to processimage data captured by said at least one camera; wherein, at least inpart responsive to image processing by said image processor of imagedata captured by said at least one camera, said control determines aprojected driving path of the vehicle and the width thereof; wherein, atleast in part responsive to image processing by said image processor ofimage data captured by said at least one camera, said control detects anobject that is ahead of the vehicle and determines the detected object'slocation in the exterior field of view of said at least one camera;wherein, responsive to the determined width of the projected drivingpath and to the determined location of the detected object in theexterior field of view of said at least one camera, said control isoperable to determine if there is sufficient clearance for the vehicleto pass the detected object; and wherein, responsive to determinationthat there is not sufficient clearance for the vehicle to pass thedetected object, said driver assistance system at least one of (i)generates an alert to a driver of the vehicle and (ii) controls a systemof the vehicle.
 2. The driver assistance system of claim 1, wherein saidat least one camera comprises a forward facing camera having a field ofview in a forward direction of travel of the vehicle through awindshield of the vehicle.
 3. The driver assistance system of claim 2,wherein, responsive to image processing by said image processor ofcaptured image data, said driver assistance system provides at least oneof (i) control of the headlamps of the vehicle responsive to detectionof headlamps of other vehicles in the field of view of said camera, (ii)lane tracking and (iii) traffic sign detection.
 4. The driver assistancesystem of claim 1, wherein said at least one camera is part of a forwardfacing imaging system of the vehicle that, responsive to imageprocessing by said image processor of captured image data, providesmultiple functions.
 5. The driver assistance system of claim 4, whereinthe multiple functions at least include (i) control of the headlamps ofthe vehicle responsive to detection of headlamps of other vehicles inthe field of view of said camera and (ii) lane tracking.
 6. The driverassistance system of claim 1, wherein, at least in part responsive toimage processing by said image processor of image data captured by saidat least one camera, said control detects two objects that are ahead ofthe vehicle and at or near opposite sides of the projected driving path.7. The driver assistance system of claim 6, wherein, at least in partresponsive to image processing by said image processor of image datacaptured by said at least one camera, said control (i) determines alateral dimension between the detected objects and (ii) determines ifthere is sufficient clearance for the vehicle to pass between thedetected objects by subtracting the width of the projected driving pathfrom the determined lateral dimension between the detected objects. 8.The driver assistance system of claim 1, wherein the projected drivingpath is projected at least in part responsive to a current steeringangle of the vehicle.
 9. The driver assistance system of claim 1,wherein the projected driving path is projected at least in partresponsive to a current direction of travel of the vehicle.
 10. Thedriver assistance system of claim 1, wherein the projected driving pathis projected at least in part responsive to a navigation system of thevehicle.
 11. The driver assistance system of claim 1, wherein theprojected driving path is projected at least in part responsive to apath provided by a remote provider.
 12. The driver assistance system ofclaim 1, wherein, responsive to determination that there is notsufficient clearance for the vehicle to pass the detected object, saiddriver assistance system controls at least one of (i) a steering systemof the vehicle and (ii) a braking system of the vehicle.
 13. The driverassistance system of claim 1, wherein, responsive to determination thatthere is not sufficient clearance for the vehicle to pass the detectedobject, said driver assistance system determines a clearance path forthe vehicle to pass the detected object.
 14. The driver assistancesystem of claim 13, wherein said control is operable to steer thevehicle along the determined clearance path.
 15. The driver assistancesystem of claim 13, wherein, responsive to determination that there isnot sufficient clearance for the vehicle to pass the detected object,said control controls braking of the vehicle.
 16. The driver assistancesystem of claim 1, wherein said control is operable to control thesteering of the vehicle for the vehicle to pass the detected object. 17.The driver assistance system of claim 1, wherein, responsive todetermination that there is not sufficient clearance for the vehicle topass the detected object, said driver assistance system generates agraphic overlay that overlays a displayed image displayed at a displayscreen viewable by the driver of the vehicle to visually alert thedriver of the vehicle of insufficient clearance.
 18. The driverassistance system of claim 1, wherein, responsive to determination thatthere is not sufficient clearance for the vehicle to pass the detectedobject, said driver assistance system generates an alert to the driverof the vehicle.
 19. The driver assistance system of claim 18, whereinsaid alert comprises at least one of (i) an audible warning, (ii) ahaptic warning and (iii) a visual warning.
 20. A driver assistancesystem for a vehicle, said driver assistance system comprising: at leastone camera disposed at a vehicle and having an exterior field of view atleast in a direction of forward travel of the vehicle, wherein said atleast one camera is operable to capture image data; a control comprisingan image processor operable to process image data captured by said atleast one camera; wherein, at least in part responsive to imageprocessing by said image processor of image data captured by said atleast one camera, said control determines a projected driving path ofthe vehicle and the width thereof; wherein, at least in part responsiveto image processing by said image processor of image data captured bysaid at least one camera, said control detects an object that is aheadof the vehicle and determines the object's location in the exteriorfield of view of said at least one camera; wherein, responsive to thedetermined width of the projected driving path and the determinedlocation of the detected object in the exterior field of view of said atleast one camera, said control is operable to determine if there issufficient clearance for the vehicle to pass the detected object;wherein, responsive to determination that there is not sufficientclearance for the vehicle to pass the detected object, said driverassistance system controls at least one of (i) a steering system of thevehicle and (ii) a braking system of the vehicle; and wherein said imageprocessor of said control processes image data captured by said at leastone camera for multiple functions.
 21. The driver assistance system ofclaim 20, wherein said camera is part of a forward facing imaging systemof the vehicle that, responsive to image processing by said imageprocessor of captured image data, provides at least one of (i) controlof the headlamps of the vehicle responsive to detection of headlamps ofother vehicles in the field of view of said camera, (ii) lane trackingand (iii) traffic sign detection.
 22. The driver assistance system ofclaim 20, wherein, at least in part responsive to image processing bysaid image processor of image data captured by said at least one camera,said control (i) detects two objects that are ahead of the vehicle andat or near opposite sides of the projected driving path, (ii) determinesa lateral dimension between the detected objects and (iii) determines ifthere is sufficient clearance for the vehicle to pass between thedetected objects.
 23. The driver assistance system of claim 20, whereinthe projected driving path is projected at least in part responsive toat least one of (i) a current steering angle of the vehicle, (ii) acurrent direction of travel of the vehicle, (iii) a navigation system ofthe vehicle and (iv) a path provided by a remote provider.
 24. Thedriver assistance system of claim 20, wherein, responsive todetermination that there is not sufficient clearance for the vehicle topass the detected object, said driver assistance system determines aclearance path for the vehicle to pass the detected object.
 25. Thedriver assistance system of claim 24, wherein at least one of (i) saidcontrol is operable to steer the vehicle along the determined clearancepath and (ii) said control controls braking of the vehicle responsive todetermination that there is not sufficient clearance for the vehicle topass the detected object.
 26. The driver assistance system of claim 20,wherein, responsive to determination that there is not sufficientclearance for the vehicle to pass the detected object, said driverassistance system generates a graphic overlay that overlays a displayedimage displayed at a display screen viewable by a driver of the vehicleto visually alert the driver of the vehicle of insufficient clearance.27. A driver assistance system for a vehicle, said driver assistancesystem comprising: at least one camera disposed at a vehicle and havingan exterior field of view at least in a direction of forward travel ofthe vehicle, wherein said at least one camera is operable to captureimage data; a control comprising an image processor operable to processimage data captured by said at least one camera; wherein, at least inpart responsive to image processing by said image processor of imagedata captured by said at least one camera, said control determines aprojected driving path of the vehicle and the width thereof; wherein, atleast in part responsive to image processing by said image processor ofimage data captured by said at least one camera, said control (i)detects two objects that are ahead of the vehicle and at or nearopposite sides of the projected driving path and (ii) determines thelocations of the detected objects in the exterior field of view of saidat least one camera; wherein, at least in part responsive to imageprocessing by said image processor of image data captured by said atleast one camera, said control (i) determines a lateral dimensionbetween the detected objects and (ii) determines if there is sufficientclearance for the vehicle to pass between the detected objects; andwherein, responsive to determination that there is not sufficientclearance for the vehicle to pass between the detected objects, saiddriver assistance system at least one of (i) generates an alert to adriver of the vehicle and (ii) controls a system of the vehicle.
 28. Thedriver assistance system of claim 27, wherein said at least one camerais part of a forward facing imaging system of the vehicle that,responsive to image processing by said image processor of captured imagedata, provides multiple functions, and wherein the multiple functions atleast include (i) control of the headlamps of the vehicle responsive todetection of headlamps of other vehicles in the field of view of saidcamera and (ii) lane tracking.
 29. The driver assistance system of claim27, wherein the projected driving path is projected at least in partresponsive to at least one of (i) a current steering angle of thevehicle, (ii) a current direction of travel of the vehicle, (iii) anavigation system of the vehicle and (iv) a path provided by a remoteprovider.
 30. The driver assistance system of claim 29, wherein saidcontrol determines if there is sufficient clearance for the vehicle topass between the detected objects by subtracting the width of theprojected driving path from the determined lateral dimension between thedetected objects.